Islamist violence has emerged as one of the major global problems. A pattern generally observed in this regard is “Islam is a religion of peace when Muslims do not have the power and numbers on their side. Once they do, things change”.

Consider this:

1. Israel (Jews v Muslims)
2. The Balkans (Orthodox Serbians v Bosnian and Albanian Muslims)
3. Kashmir (Muslims v Hindus)
4. Sudan (Muslims v Christians and animists)
5. Nigeria (Muslims v Christians)
6. Iran, Iraq and Pakistan (Shia v Sunni)
7. Indonesia (Muslims v Christians)
8. Chechnya and the Philippines (Muslim insurrection).

Some important observations about militant Islam

1. The violent verses of the Quran have played a key role in massacres and genocide. This includes the brutal slaughter of tens of millions of Hindus for five centuries beginning around 1000 CE with Mahmud of Ghazni’s bloody conquest. Both he and Tamerlane (Islam’s Genghis Khan) slaughtered an untold number of Hindus who were merely defending their temples from destruction. Buddhism was nearly wiped off the Bharatiya subcontinent.
2. Judaism and Christianity met the same fate (albeit more slowly) in areas conquered by Muslim armies, including the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Europe, including today’s Turkey. Zoroastrianism, the ancient religion of a proud Persian people, is despised by Muslims and barely survives in modern Iran.
3. The manner in which faiths across countries have been eradicated or the populace has been forcibly converted (convert or die) puts a question mark on the claim that Islam is a religion of peace. If every standard by which the West is judged and condemned (slavery, imperialism, intolerance, misogyny, sexual repression, warfare…) were applied equally to Islam, the verdict would be devastating. Islam never gives up what it conquers, be it religion, culture, language or life. Neither does it make apologies or any real effort at moral progress.
4. It is the least open to dialogue and the most self-absorbed. It is convinced of its own perfection, yet brutally shuns self-examination and represses criticism. This is what makes the Quran’s verses of violence so dangerous.
5. They are given the weight of divine command. While Muslim terrorists take them literally and understand that Islam is incomplete without Jihad, moderates offer little to contradict them – outside of personal opinion.
6.  Indeed, what do they have? Speaking of peace and love may win over the ignorant, but when every twelfth verse of Islam’s holiest book either speaks of Allah’s hatred for non-Muslims or calls for their death, forced conversion, or subjugation, it is little wonder that sympathy for terrorism runs as deeply as it does in the broader community – even if most Muslims prefer not to interpret their personal viewpoint of Islam in this way.
7. The Quran contains at least 109 verses that speak of war with nonbelievers, usually on the basis of their status as non-Muslims. Some are quite graphic, with commands to chop off heads and fingers and kill infidels wherever they may be hiding.
8. Another factor that may increase violence in Islam is polygamy. When some men have four wives others may have none. Males are more aggressive than females, especially those aged 15-30. When their marital prospects are blocked, and individuals are told about the wonders of paradise if they are killed for Allah, jihad may become very attractive.

Few Verses of the Quran that advocate violence (There are more than 100 such)

• Quran (2:244) – “Then fight in the cause of Allah, and know that Allah Heareth and knoweth all things.”
• Quran (2:216) – “Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that you dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not.” Not only does this verse establish that violence can be virtuous, but it also contradicts the myth that fighting is intended only for self-defence since the audience was obviously not under attack at the time. From the Hadith, we know that this verse was narrated at a time when Muhammad was actually trying to motivate his people into raiding merchant caravans for loot.
• Quran (3:56) – “As to those who reject faith, I will punish them with terrible agony in this world and in the Hereafter, nor will they have anyone to help.”
• Quran (3:151) – “Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined companions with Allah, for which He had sent no authority”. This speaks directly of polytheists, yet it also includes Christians, since they believe in the Trinity (i.e. what Muhammad incorrectly believed to be ‘joining companions to Allah’).
• Quran (4:74) – “Let those fight in the way of Allah who sell the life of this world for the other. Whoso fighteth in the way of Allah, be he slain or be victorious, on him We shall bestow a vast reward.” The martyrs of Islam are unlike the early Christians, who were led meekly to the slaughter. These Muslims are killed in battle as they attempt to inflict death and destruction for the cause of Allah. This is the theological basis for today’s suicide bombers.
• Quran (4:76) – “Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah, and those who disbelieve, fight in the cause of Taghut (Satan, etc.). So fight you against the friends of Shaitan (Satan)” The Arabic for the word “fight” is from qital, meaning physical combat.
• Quran (4:89) – “They but wish that ye should reject Faith, as they do, and thus be on the same footing (as they): But take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah (From what is forbidden). But if they turn renegades, seize them and slay them wherever ye find them; and (in any case) take no friends or helpers from their ranks.”
• Quran (4:95) – “Not equal are those of the believers who sit (at home), except those who are disabled (by injury or are blind or lame, etc.), and those who strive hard and fight in the Cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives. Allah has preferred in grades those who strive hard and fight with their wealth and their lives above those who sit (at home). Unto each, Allah has promised good (Paradise), but Allah has preferred those who strive hard and fight, above those who sit (at home) by a huge reward”. This passage criticizes “peaceful” Muslims who do not join in the violence, letting them know that they are less worthy in Allah’s eyes. It also demolishes the modern myth that “Jihad” doesn’t mean holy war in the Quran, but rather a spiritual struggle. Not only is this Arabic word (mujahidina) used in this passage, but it is clearly not referring to anything spiritual since the physically disabled are given an exemption. (The Hadith reveals the context of the passage to be in response to a blind man’s protest that he is unable to engage in Jihad, which would not make sense if it meant an internal struggle).
• Quran (4:101) – “And when you (Muslims) travel in the land, there is no sin on you if you shorten your Salat (prayer) if you fear that the disbelievers may attack you, verily, the disbelievers are ever unto you open enemies.”  Mere disbelief makes one an “open” enemy of Muslims.
• Quran (4:104) – “And be not weak hearted in pursuit of the enemy; if you suffer pain, then surely they (too) suffer pain as you suffer pain…” Is pursuing an injured and retreating enemy really an act of self-defence?

  Few Verses of other religious literature which violence

• Sahih Bukhari (52:177) – Allah’s Apostle said, “The Hour will not be established until you fight with the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say. “O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so kill him.”
• Sahih Bukhari (52:256) – The Prophet… was asked whether it was permissible to attack the pagan warriors at night with the probability of exposing their women and children to danger. The Prophet replied, “They (i.e. women and children) are from them (i.e. pagans).” In this command, Muhammad establishes that it is permissible to kill non-combatants in the process of killing a perceived enemy. This provides justification for the many Islamic terror bombings.
• Sahih Bukhari (52:65) – The Prophet said, ‘He who fights that Allah’s Word (Islam) should be superior, fights in Allah’s Cause. Muhammad’s words are the basis for offensive Jihad – spreading Islam by force. This is how it was understood by his companions, and by the terrorists of today. (See also Sahih Bukhari 3:125)
• Sahih Bukhari (52:220) – Allah’s Apostle said… ‘I have been made victorious with terror’
• Sahih Bukhari (52:44) – A man came to Allah’s Apostle and said, “Instruct me as to such a deed as equals Jihad (in reward).” He replied, “I do not find such a deed.”
• Abu Dawud (14:2526)  (considered daif) – The Prophet said, Three things are the roots of faith: to refrain from (killing) a person who utters, “There is no god but Allah” and not to declare him unbeliever whatever sin he commits, and not to excommunicate him from Islam for his any action; and jihad will be performed continuously since the day Allah sent me as a prophet…
• Abu Dawud (14:2527) (considered daif) – The Prophet said: Striving in the path of Allah (jihad) is incumbent on you along with every ruler, whether he is pious or impious
• Sahih Muslim (1:33) – the Messenger of Allah said: I have been commanded to fight against people till they testify that there is no god but Allah, that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah
• Sahih Bukhari (8:387) – Allah’s Apostle said, “I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: ‘None has the right to be worshipped but Allah’. And if they say so, pray like our prayers, face our Qibla and slaughter as we slaughter, then their blood and property will be sacred to us and we will not interfere with them except legally.”
• Sahih Muslim (1:30) – “The Messenger of Allah said: I have been commanded to fight against people so long as they do not declare that there is no god but Allah.”

(There are just too many Muslims who take the Quran literally and too many others who couldn’t care less about the violence done in the name of Islam)

(This article has been authored by Tanmay and Kunal Raj)

(The views expressed in the article are those of the authors)